Closing the Gap is an ISTE book series designed to reflect the contributions
of multiple stakeholders seeking to ensure that digital equity is achieved on
campuses, in classrooms, and throughout education. In this series, authors Nicol
R. Howard, Sarah Thomas, and Regina Schaffer offer historical and philosophical
insights while exploring challenges and solutions unique to teacher preparation
programs, pre-service and in-service teachers, and instructional
coaches.

The second book in the series, Closing the Gap:
Digital Equity Strategies for the K-12 Classroom, includes:

Examination of digital equity and the “problem of
practice” for teachers and coaches

Strategies for connecting the ISTE Educator and
Student Standards to practice

Research-based vignettes from teachers who have
encountered and conquered some of the challenges addressed in the book, and
from edtech coaches who have implemented equity-centered innovative
professional development

Concrete, evidence-based strategies for teachers

This book will help K-12 classroom teachers address the challenges of
teaching in the digital age, providing positive examples and recommendations for
moving toward digital equity in K12 settings.

About the Authors

Sarah Thomas, Ph.D., is an educator and
the founder of the EduMatch movement, a project that empowers educators to make
global connections across common areas of interest. She has presented
internationally, participated in the Technical Working Group to refresh the 2017
ISTE Standards for Educators, and is a recipient of the 2017 ISTE Making It
Happen Award. She is also a national advisor for the Future Ready Instructional
Coaches Strand. A full biography is available at bit.ly/sarahthomasbio.

Nicol R. Howard, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the
School of Education at the University of Redlands. She has served as co-chair
for ISTE’s Digital Equity Network. Her research foci are equitable uses of
technology in K16 classrooms, STEM Education opportunities and achievement, and
teacher education concerns. Her writing has appeared in the Corwin Connected
Educators Series Standing in the Gap: Empowering New Teachers Through
Connected Resources, Urban Education Journal, International
Journal of Educational Technology, EduCause, Edutopia and eCampus News.

Regina Schaffer is a Technology
Specialist for the Middletown Township School District. She was recently
selected as a National School Board Association’s 20 to Watch, as well as a 2016
PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator. She is a Google Certified Innovator, Common
Sense Media Certified Teacher, Discovery Education DEN Star, Remind Connected
Educator and a Brainpop Connected Educator. Connect with Regina at
@reginaschaffer.

Reviews

This book is a must-read for all
educators implementing digital literacy in schools and classrooms. The authors
provide an overarching framework of what’s at stake when it comes to digital
equity and why we should all care about creating an inclusive digital learning
environment. -- Rusul Alrubail, executive director, Parkdale Centre for
Innovation, and an author, speaker and social justice advocate

Closing the Gap
is a timely, methodical, and accessible approach to the current unequally
distributed use of edtech in schools. This book addresses the entire spectrum
of what leaders need to improve their educational and edtech ecosystems. Based
on ISTE Standards and with real life anecdotes, it’s easy to read and powerful
to implement the suggestions in Closing the Gap
. -- Jon Corippo, CUE chief learning officer and co-author
of The Eduprotocol Field Guide

While many of us
who work with educational technology would agree on the need for digital
equity, there are few comprehensive resources that deal with the practical
implications of striving for equitable tech use in K–12 classrooms. As such,
this timely and accessible book addresses a key gap in the existing
literature.-- Alec Couros, Ph.D., professor of educational
technology and media, University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Closing the Gap is an enlightening resource for
every educational stakeholder in pursuit of equity and access for children.
Not only do the authors define digital equity and identify problems of
practice, but they offer research, make recommendations for implementation and
address future implications. Teachers, coaches and school leaders will truly
make an impact when equipped with this information. If you’re interested in
closing opportunity gaps and creating equitable teaching and learning
opportunities, including digital equity, Closing the Gap is the
perfect resource for you.-- Rosa Isiah, Ed.D., director, elementary education, Norwalk-La
Mirada Unified School District

This book should be essential reading for all
educators. It identifies a largely unrecognized issue in modern education and
thoughtfully lays out clear and actionable steps to address it. Authors
Thomas, Howard and Schaffer make clear that issues of equity impact all of our
students and we’re all responsible for closing the gap.-- Jennie Magiera, chief program officer, EdTechTeam, and
author of Courageous Edventures: Navigating Obstacles to Discover
Classroom Innovation

Closing the Gap shines a spotlight on one of
today’s largest educational issues—digital equity. Authors Thomas, Howard and
Schaffer will guide you in identifying, analyzing and problem-solving these
disparities, while bringing to light that these solutions are not simply
things we can do—but things we must do. Providing equity in access and equity
in opportunity is a moral imperative for today’s educators, and this book
provides the needed tools, resources and stories from the field and practical
suggestions to make it happen!-- Thomas C. Murray,
director of innovation, Future Ready Schools, and author of Learning
Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow’s Schools, Today

Technology in the hands of teachers who deeply
care about their students’ learning is powerful. This book provides solutions
and real-life examples for these teachers who desperately want to help their
students who are most in need of access.-- Shelly Sanchez Terrell, digital innovator, author and
teacher

Closing the Gap should be on every desk of every
school leader who needs a valuable resource for not just bridging the digital
and achievement gaps in their district/school board, but closing those gaps.
There are real tangible examples with a framework for a sustainable plan. The
examples are also from actual practitioners and not from people who haven’t
done, or are not actively doing, the work.-- Ken Shelton, global keynote specialist and educational
technology strategist for EdTechTeam

Kudos for a guide that addresses the preparation,
actions, and support necessary for digital equity. Based on research and
day-to-day classroom experiences, Closing the Gap is a practical
guide with clear explanations, examples and recommendations. The result in an
excellent resource for any educator—classroom teacher, coach or
administrator.
-- Adina Sullivan-Marlow, K–12 educational technology
coordinator and founder of EquityEDU